What is Commerce about?
In conversation with
Nigel Lineham
Vianni Ward
Lalina Dayal
Transcript below:
I think the teachers and the students will have to embrace that we can no longer continue doing what we had been as three separate subjects. Rather that the three has been formed into one. I think what they'll see there is the ability to go as deep as they want on any aspect of any of those disciplines.
I think the students will see hopefully a reduction in workload and stress.
The teachers as well, in terms of what they need to be able to do to get through the course to meet the requirements of the standards. I guess they will see that the focus is on a broad education at level one, which is reflective of the Ministry's vision for the future, which is what we've tried to do. Combine those three subjects so that we can provide a platform that is broad for students moving forward.
I think the biggest change is the Learning Matrix, the focus on what we're trying to achieve with those ideas, and the Significant Learning that comes out of it. I think all Commerce teachers will see themselves in each of the pieces of Significant Learning, and in the Big Ideas.
But it puts the focus on the learner, rather than on the assessment. The other thing they'll notice is that the assessment is not large. It's focused assessment capturing just some significant pieces of learning that we're trying to have a look at.
Yeah, absolutely. The focus on mātauranga Māori from the Ministry has been a big change for this year, for moving forward. Recognising that it sits equitably up there, alongside all knowledge in New Zealand, has been a key change. A subject like Commerce can really bring that to the forefront. But there's also a lot of commonality in what we were wanting to achieve, what we want to see out of the other end of this here. Trying to give teachers and students the best possible experience they can out of this commerce subject.
Yes, I think we all respectfully listened and took into account each of the three disciplines. Tried to merge them in a way that was respectful for each of the accounting, economics, and business teachers and students.
The SEG group had teachers from all three strengths, accounting, economics, and business studies. To some extent we were able to give in our views for our specialist subjects. How we move forward with the commerce curriculum. Which was not easy either.
I think advice would be to reach out to the Kāhui Ako, groups that schools are a part of. Then reach out to communities.
My advice would be to sit there and look first with what do they already do. What do they like about their subject and what they're doing. See that that's still there is the first thing I'd say. If they start looking at that there, and then look at the opportunities, to be able to expand and bring in other disciplines.
Bring in the mātauranga Māori, the other opportunities that are set up within the Significant Learning to give them a chance to design what they need to do for the students who are in front of them.
Subject-specific terms can be found in the glossary.
Commerce is the use and exploration of accounting, economic, and business concepts and models to make sense of society, and solve problems. In this subject, ākonga will build the knowledge, skills, and values they need to navigate, and participate in, the economic world. They will learn how participants in the economic world make decisions, and they will analyse how these decisions impact on sustainability.
Ākonga will learn that decision making is necessitated by scarcity, and that decisions are informed by a variety of cultural perspectives and lenses. Learning and assessment will examine Māori, Pacific, and other approaches to commerce, and business models from whānau and organisation contexts.
Big Ideas and Significant Learning
This section outlines the meaning of, and connection between, the Big Ideas and Significant Learning, which together form the Learning Matrix. It then explains each Commerce Big Idea.
The Social Sciences Learning Area curriculum, including its Whakataukī, inform this subject's Significant Learning – learning that is critical for students to know, understand, and do in relation to a subject by the end of each Curriculum Level. This covers knowledge, skills, competencies, and attitudes. It also includes level-appropriate contexts students should encounter in their education. The Learning Area's Whakatauki is:
Unuhia te rito o te harakeke kei whea te kōmako e kō? Whakatairangitia – rere ki uta, rere ki tai; Ui mai koe ki ahau he aha te mea nui o te ao, Māku e kī atu he tangata, he tangata, he tangata!
Remove the heart of the flax bush and where will the kōmako sing? Proclaim it to the land, proclaim it to the sea; Ask me, “What is the greatest thing in the world?” I will reply, “It is people, people, people!”
The subject's Big Ideas and Significant Learning are collated into a Learning Matrix for Curriculum Level 6. Teachers can use the Learning Matrix as a tool to construct learning programmes that cover all the ‘not to be missed’ learning in a subject. There is no prescribed order to the Learning Matrix within each level. A programme of learning might begin with a context that is relevant to the local area of the school or an idea that students are particularly interested in. This context or topic must relate to at least one Big Idea and may also link to other Big Ideas.
There are four Big Ideas in Commerce. The nature of this subject as a discipline means aspects of Significant Learning often cross over multiple Big Ideas, and vice versa.
The diverse values and beliefs of decision makers inform the financial and non-financial decisions they make. What is important to people is determined by their whakapapa, values, and cultural heritage. The importance that is placed on different resources, values, and ideas varies from group to group, as do the perspectives that groups bring to economic decision making. Ākonga will engage with examples of conflict, compromise, and partnership, and develop insights about what is important and where stakeholder viewpoints should be prioritised. In Commerce, ākonga will explore the perspectives and decisions of groups from whānau, business, and organisation contexts. They will engage with Māori and Pacific perspectives and business models. Ākonga will have an opportunity to explore the economic world through lenses other than their own, at multiple levels. They will gain a better understanding of not just the economic world, but also Aotearoa New Zealand's multicultural identity, and the spirit of partnership intended by Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
People and organisations navigate the economic world through decision making and action. Before decisions are made, organisations must determine their priorities, and balance their stakeholder perspectives. The more informed an organisation is, the better their decisions will be, and the more their stakeholders will benefit.
Decisions about resource management and which groups' interests should be prioritised are unavoidable. Scarcity means that decisions must be made about how to use and enhance available resources. Organisations must use their resources and act in a way which is viable. Otherwise, they will not be able to sustain themselves or their pūtake.
This Big Idea provides a blueprint for an equitable economic system: where decision makers consider diverse perspectives and prioritise the wellbeing of their stakeholders. In Commerce, ākonga will develop their own ability to participate equitably in the economic system, evaluating economic information and decisions against the impacts they have on affected stakeholders and environments.
Financial and non-financial decisions inevitably have impacts on people, place, and profit. Sectors within the economy affect each other, and organisations can, and often are, affected by decisions they take no part in. This places a responsibility on decision makers to take into account the likely impacts of their decisions on others. Financial interdependence occurs when whānau, communities and organisations make decisions which affect other financial groups, while also being impacted by those groups which they are affecting. The concept therefore recognises that financial impacts do not travel one way; the economy is a complex collection of financial entities affecting and being affected, simultaneously.
Kaitiakitanga, tauhokohoko, enterprise, and innovation are processes which enable society to thrive. Ākonga will learn an economic language of models and concepts, which will allow them to navigate the economic world, and to contribute positively to it.
Kaitiakitanga and tauhokohoko are concepts from te ao Māori which emphasise the responsible use of resources, and living harmoniously with the environment. In Commerce, ākonga will have the opportunity to access these economic models and concepts, and others from around Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific.
Key Competencies in Commerce
Developing Key Competencies through Commerce
Learning in Commerce provides meaningful contexts for developing Key Competencies from the New Zealand Curriculum. These Key Competencies are woven through, and embedded in, the Big Ideas and Significant Learning. Students will engage with critical thinking and analysis, explore different perspectives through Commerce and develop their understanding of the role of Commerce in society.
Thinking
Students of Commerce will:
- learn to think using sustainable models, and analyse the impacts of economic decisions on stakeholders and the environment
- analyse economic decisions and their potential impacts on communities and environments
- learn that models and concepts are simplifications of the real world, and can be used to support predictions about decisions and outcomes
- understand how to apply models and concepts to material problems and contexts within the world of work.
Using language, symbols, and texts
Students of Commerce will:
- develop the capacity to interpret commercial information that relates to everyday life (for example, financial literacy and employment law)
- develop the capacity to interpret information which relates to the running of businesses (for example, accounting and business regulations).
Relating to others
Students of Commerce will:
- explore how the use of different information and models can be used to communicate financial and non-financial decisions
- apply problem solving skills to situations in their local communities
- learn to think about problems from the perspective of other people and groups
- understand that Māori, Pacific, and other perspectives have different models and concepts.
Managing self
Students of Commerce will:
- develop a toolkit which allows them to work through real-life problems relating to individual and whānau financial wellbeing
- begin exploring what role they play, or will play, in the economy, from both a cultural and professional viewpoint
- make increasingly appropriate selections of models and concepts in appropriate circumstances.
Participating and contributing
Students of Commerce will:
- understand how they as individuals relate to larger groups, such as whānau, organisations, and government
- apply decision-making skills to problems outside of the classroom.
This section of New Zealand Curriculum online offers specific guidance to school leaders and teachers on integrating the Key Competencies into the daily activities of the school and its Teaching and Learning Programmes.
Introduction to sample course outlines
Sample Course Outlines are being produced to help teachers and schools understand the new NCEA Learning Matrix and Achievement Standards. Examples of how a year-long Commerce course could be constructed using the new Learning Matrix and Achievement Standards are provided here. They are indicative only and do not mandate any particular context or approach.
More detailed sample Teaching and Learning Programmes will be developed during piloting.
Assessment Matrix
- Evidence for all parts of this assessment can be in te reo Māori, English, or NZSL.
- Ākonga may work and present evidence as a group, provided that each learner's contribution is identified.
- Kaiako can assist ākonga by either stipulating, or approving the selection of, an organisation and its pūtake.
- Kaiako can assist ākonga by monitoring and guiding the early direction of the work.
- Evidence for all parts of this assessment can be in te reo Māori, English, or NZSL.
- Ākonga may work and present evidence as a group, provided that each learner's contribution is identified.
- If helpful, kaiako can provide checkpoints at several stages to check progress on:
- gathering evidence
- preparing financial documents
- preparing the report or pitch
- preparing the individual evaluation.